The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present inventions. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or relevant, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Polyethylenepolyamines include triethylenetetramines that act as copper antagonists. Triethylenetetramine, sometimes also referred to as trientine, N,N′-Bis(2-aminoethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine, 1,8-diamino-3,6-diazaoctane, 3,6-diazaoctane-1,8-diamine, 1,4,7,10-tetraazadecane, trien, TETA, TECZA, N,N′-Bis(aminoethyl)ethylenediamine, N,N′-Bis(2-aminoethyl)ethanediamine, and N,N′-Bis(2-aminoethyl)-ethylenediamine, is a copper chelating agent. Triethylenetetramine is used as an epoxy curing agent. Merck Index, p. 9478 (10th Edition, 1983). It has also been used as a thermosetting resin, as a lubricating oil additive, and as an analytical reagent for copper and nickel id. Triethylenetetramine dihydrochloride has also been used for treating individuals with Wilson's disease. See, for example, id.; Dubois, R. S., Lancet 2(7676):775 (1970); Walshe, J. M., Q. J. Med. 42(167):441-52 (1973); Haslam, R. H., et al., Dev. Pharmacol. Ther. 1(5):318-24 (1980). It has also reportedly been used to treat individuals with primary biliary cirrhosis. See, for example, Epstein, O., et al., Gastroenterology 78(6):1442-45 (1980). In addition, trientine has been tested for inhibition of the spontaneous development of hepatitis and hepatic tumors in rats. See, for example, Sone, H., et al., Hepatology 23:764-70 (1996). U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,897,243, 6,610,693 and 6,348,465 describe the use of copper binding compounds in the treatment of various disorders, including treatment of diabetes mellitus and complications thereof, including, for example, diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Trientine was said to be used in the synthesis of benzylidene-(2-{3-[2-(benzylidene-amino)-ethyl]-2-phenyl-imidazolidin-1-yl}-ethyl)-amine in French Patent No. FR2810035 to Guilard et al. Cetinkaya, E., et al., “Synthesis and characterization of unusual tetraminoalkenes,” J. Chem. Soc. 5:561-7 (1992), is said to be directed to synthesis of benzylidene-(2-{3-[2-(benzylidene-amino)-ethyl]-2-phenyl-imidazolidin-1-yl}-ethyl)-amine from trientine, as is Araki T., et al., “Site-selective derivatization of oligoethyleneimines using five-membered-ring protection method,” Macromol., 21:1995-2001 (1988). Triethylenetetramine may reportedly also be used in the synthesis of N-methylated triethylenetetramine, as reported in U.S. Pat. No. 2,390,766, to Zellhoefer et al.
Synthesis of polyethylenepolyamines, including triethylenetetramines, from ethylenediamine and monoethanolamine using pelleted group IVb metal oxide-phosphate type catalysts was reported by Vanderpool et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,517. Synthesis of triethylenetetramine from ethylenediamine and ethanolamine was also proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,209, to Unvert et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,599, to King et al. is said to be directed to the synthesis of linear triethylene tetramine by condensation of ethylenediamine and ethylene glycol in the presence of a catalyst. Joint production of triethylenetetramine and 1-(2-aminoethyl)-aminoethyl-piperazine was proposed by Borisenko et al. in U.S.S.R. Patent No. SU1541204. U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,247 and European Patent No. EP262562, both to Ford et al., reported the preparation of triethylenetetramine by reaction of an alkanolamine compound, an alkaline amine and optionally either a primary or secondary amine in the presence of a phosphorous containing catalyst, for example phosphoric acid on silica-alumina or Group IIIB metal acid phosphate, at a temperature from about 175° C. to 400° C. under pressure. These patents indicate that the synthetic method used therein was as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,193, to Johnson. The Ford et al. '247 patent is also said to be directed to color reduction of polyamines by reaction at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst and a hydrogen atmosphere. European Patent No. EP450709 to King et al. is said to be directed to a process for the preparation of triethylenetetramine and N-(2-aminoethyl)ethanolamine by condensation of an alkylenamine and an alkylene glycol in the presence of a condensation catalyst and a catalyst promoter at a temperature in excess of 260° C.
Russian Patent No. RU2186761, to Zagidullin, proposed synthesis of diethylenetriamine by reaction of dichloroethane with ethylenediamine. Ethylenediamine has previously been said to have been used in the synthesis of N-carboxylic acid esters as reported in U.S. Pat. No. 1,527,868, to Hartmann et al.
Japanese Patent No. 06065161 to Hara et al. is said to be directed to the synthesis of polyethylenepolyamines by reacting ethylenediamine with ethanolamine in the presence of silica-treated Nb205 supported on a carrier. Japanese Patent No. JP03047154 to Watanabe et al., is said to be directed to production of noncyclic polyethylenepolyamines by reaction of ammonia with monoethanolamine and ethylenediamine. Production of non-cyclic polyethylenepolyamines by reaction of ethylenediamine and monoethanolamine in the presence of hydrogen or a phosphorous-containing substance was said to be reported in Japanese Patent No. JP03048644. Regenerative preparation of linear polyethylenepolyamines using a phosphorous-bonded catalyst was proposed in European Patent No. EP115,138, to Larkin et al.
A process for preparation of alkyleneamines in the presence of a niobium catalyst was said to be provided in European Patent No. 256,516, to Tsutsumi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,405, to Vanderpool, reported the continuous synthesis of essentially noncyclic polyethylenepolyamines by reaction of monoethanolamine with ethylenediamine in the presence of an activated carbon catalyst under a pressure between about 500 to about 3000 psig., and at a temperature of between about 200° C. to about 400° C. Templeton, et al., reported on the preparation of linear polyethylenepolyamides asserted to result from reactions employing silica-alumina catalysts in European Patent No. EP150,558.
Production of triethylenetetramine dihydrochloride was said to have been reported in Kuhr et al., Czech Patent No. 197,093, via conversion of triethylenetetramine to crystalline tetrahydrochloride and subsequently to triethylenetetramine dihydrochloride. “A study of efficient preparation of triethylenetetramine dihydrochloride for the treatment of Wilson's disease and hygroscopicity of its capsule,” Fujito, et al., Yakuzaigaku, 50:402-8 (1990), is also said to be directed to production of triethylenetetramine.
Preparation of triethylenetetramine salts used for the treatment of Wilson's disease was said to be reported in “Treatment of Wilson's Disease with Triethylene Tetramine Hydrochloride (Trientine),” Dubois, et al., J. Pediatric Gastro. & Nutrition, 10:77-81 (1990); “Preparation of Triethylenetetramine Dihydrochloride for the Treatment of Wilson's Disease,” Dixon, et al., Lancet, 1(1775):853 (1972); “Determination of Triethylenetetramine in Plasma of Patients by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography,” Miyazaki, et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull., 38(4):1035-1038 (1990); “Preparation of and Clinical Experiences with Trien for the Treatment of Wilson's Disease in Absolute Intolerance of D-penicillamine,” Harders; et al., Proc. Roy. Soc. Med., 70:10-12 (1977); “Tetramine cupruretic agents: A comparison in dogs,” Allen, et al., Am. J. Vet. Res., 48(1):28-30 (1987); and “Potentiometric and Spectroscopic Study of the Equilibria in the Aqueous Copper(II)-3,6-Diazaoctane-1,8-diamine System,” Laurie, et al., J. C. S. Dalton, 1882 (1976).
Preparation of triethylenetetramine salts by reaction of alcohol solutions of amines and acids was said to be reported in Polish Patent No. 105793, to Witek. Preparation of triethylenetetramine salts was also asserted in “Polycondensation of polyethylene polyamines with aliphatic dicarboxylic acids,” Witek, et al., Polimery, 20(3):118-119 (1975).
Baganz, H., and Peissker, H., Chem. Ber., 1957; 90:2944-2949; Haydock, D. B., and Mulholland, T. P. C., J. Chem. Soc., 1971; 2389-2395; and Rehse, K., et al., Arch. Pharm., 1994; 393-398, report on Strecker syntheses. Use of Boc and other protecting groups has been described. See, for example, Spicer, J. A. et al., Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2002; 10: 19-29; Klenke, B. and Gilbert, I. H., J. Org. Chem., 2001; 66: 2480-2483.
Existing methods of synthesis of triethylenetetramines, and polyethylenepolyamines, are unsatisfactory. For instance, they often require high temperature and pressure. A method for production of more pure triethylenetetramines at high yield under more favorable conditions including, for example, at more manageable temperatures and pressures, would be desirable. Such methods have been invented and are described and claimed herein.